Cold hands, warm hearts

Doneen Durling

Thursday

Mar 30, 2017 at 8:25 AM

ASHBURNHAM This Saturday Ashburnham and Westminster politics will stop cold in their tracks and in its place for that one day, the towns will demonstrate what true heart is all about in the 16th annual Ashburnham Westminster Com­munity Benefit Hock­ey Game at the Cushing Academy Ice Rink.

ASHBURNHAM This Saturday Ashburnham and Westminster politics will stop cold in their tracks and in its place for that one day, the towns will demonstrate what true heart is all about in the 16th annual Ashburnham Westminster Com­munity Benefit Hock­ey Game at the Cushing Academy Ice Rink.

The Ashburnham Westminster Educators will face off against Local and State Police for a slam against the boards in a good- hearted game for a cause, to benefit the families of James Kaehlert and Ed LaRoche.

“This game has evolved from ‘ankle benders,’ people that can barely skate, to people” that can really play, said organizer State Police Officer David Napolitano with a spark in his eye. “It is a real hockey game. We wait all year. The teachers won last year so this year is our year,” he declared. “We actually have a really good record but we don’t like losing,” Napolitano said, laughing.

For 16 years, there has been a group of people who know what it is like to live day-to-day with the specter of cancer hanging over them, and their understanding of the strain it brings to the person waging the battle and to the family that surrounds him, has brought them together to offer some assistance.

“I don’t really know why I was chosen,” said beneficiary Ed LaRoche, leaning comfortably in his easy chair with his wife, Julie, by his side. “I really don’t know. We were just flabbergasted by this whole thing.”

LaRoche said he was diagnosed last year after having mobility problems. He went to a doctor who ordered and MRI on his spine, and that was when they noticed a shadow on his lung.

“They did some more investigating and found that I have a squamous small cell carcinoma in my lung, which is basically a tumor,” he said.

“The tumor was 8.5 centimeters, but through chemotherapy and radiation it has shrunk down to 5 centimeters,” LaRoche said. “We just found out recently that removing it is not an option. I just found out Friday it is inoperable at this point in time.”

LaRoche said that the cancer is stage four meaning the cancer has spread.“They found lesions on my brain. They just found another one. Until the lesions stop showing up in places, you can’t do anything about the tumor in the lung.”LaRoche described the radiation treatments and said he was lucky that innovation has brought treatments so far.

“Twenty years ago bone marrow transplants using your own bone marrow was something they never thought of doing.”

Officer Napolitano said residents from the community bring the names forward. He said that 18 years ago his wife was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and had to go through a bone marrow transplant.

“The State Police and people I was working with held a game for us, and it just helped us out considerably,” explained Napolitano. “One year later when my wife was healthy and in remission, we knew of a young boy that had muscular dystrophy in town, so we opted to do a game for them.”

People in town sent Napolitano to Dave Uminski who was coaching hockey at the high school. “Someone told me that if I was going to do hockey in town that I had to meet Dave because he is the hockey guy. That’s how Dave and I met and we formed a committee. That first game was a good hit and a lot of people came,” said Napolitano proudly. “The next year someone came to us with another situation, and now we just do what we’ve got to do and it’s been 16 years.”

The committee receives many names throughout the year, and it is hard to choose two recipients. “We look at all people but our feeling is that if you live in this community, you are part of the community. Whether you are a figure that is on the Board of Selectmen or you are just a community member, you are still a part of the community. We choose based on need … the ones that can benefit. The LaRoche family is one that can benefit from this game, and we are happy to do it.”

Ed LaRoche is blessed with two daughters who come lend a hand during school breaks and time off from work. Abbi LaRoche came home to be his “chemo buddy.” “She took me to all my chemo treatments. She took me to all my radiation treatments. I mean the kid was a Godsend really.”

His daughter Lindsey works full time, but on her day off she took her father to radiation.

“Between my kids and my wife, they have been my caregivers, have taken me to all my treatments and all over the place.”

Ashburnham Police Officer John Boucher said that his children came to the game first as observers, and now they are part of the group that makes it all work. Napolitano’s daughters have been in it since they were small and have become part of the team that makes it all come together.

Boucher is a native son of Ashburnham and said that around 11 years ago when his family moved back to the town, he was tapped to put on his skates and play the game in which his former coach, Uminski, once coached him.

“My wife was a cancer survivor also so we had some empathy and understanding. We’ve been helping out ever since. I started refereeing the game and then started playing. My wife helps in the planning and on the committee. We’ve been in it about 11 years now.”

Napolitano said some play better than others, and Boucher is the better player. “We have a lot of good players. This year we have Scott Young again, the NHL player that played in the Olympics. He’s got two Stanley Cups. We just recruited a girl. Her name is Megan Meyers. She plays for the Boston Blades. Her nickname is Megas because she is from Vegas. She is supposed to be really good and really exciting.”

Napolitano said a woman playing would be a huge draw and inspire the athletes that play on the women’s team that was just started three years ago at Oakmont. The second beneficiary, James Kaehlert, is well thought of in the Cushing School Community and also in the Ashburnham community at large.

Kaehlert was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic adenocarcinoma in May, 2016. This aggressive cancer at diagnosis was in his colon, liver and lungs. Kaehlert is currently receiving treatment at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester in an effort to extend his life as long as possible and improve his quality of life.

“Recently our family learned James’ cancer has stopped responding to the current chemo treatment and the cancer is aggressively progressing,” wrote his wife Heather Kaehlert in a note. “In addition, in March James learned the cancer has spread to his brain. He is undergoing radiation on his brain and chemo is on hold. Once radiation is complete chemo will begin again in an effort to slow the cancer growth so James has as much time with his family as possible.”

James has been married to his wife, Heather, for 17 years and they have two children, Samuel, 11, and Abigail, 8, his niece Katie, 22, and their dog Wally. “He has dedicated his life to educating others and has a passion for teaching biology and anatomy at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham,” Heather wrote. “He has been committed to helping his community also working as the JV soccer coach and loves being a part of things including serving as Cub Scout leader for his son Samuel’s troop. James has also been very involved with the Applewild School community where both his children attend school.”

Heather wanted to make sure that her husband’s motto was shared because it is such an important part of how they have lived their lives since the diagnosis.His motto is #Liveyourlife – #Dowhatmakesyouhappy – #Makememories.

The 16th annual Community Hockey Game and Road Race will begin with the road race at 9 a.m. at J.R. Briggs Memorial School and will end at Cushing Academy. Doors open at Lorio Arena at 2 p.m. and the puck drops at 3 p.m. There will be raffles and prizes, a money booth, and a special appearance by Dr. Hook (Paul D’Amato) from the movie “Slapshot.”

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